Makeblock’s New, Inexpensive Robot for Kids

The mBot the perfect choice for kids who need an fun, easy to assemble robot and want to learn basic programming skills. (Photo credit: Makeblock.)

Makeblock’s mBot is perfect for STEM educators with a limited budget. It has a multitude of inputs on board, including a light sensor, ultrasonic sensor, line following sensors, a button, and an infrared receiver. The robot also includes an RGB LED, a buzzer, and two motor ports. That’s a lot of robot for just $49.

The Scratch-programmable robot is designed to be easy to assemble, too. With just 45 pieces, the bot can be put together in roughly 10 minutes. The wiring for the robot’s central board, the mCore, has also been greatly simplified with RJ25 connectors.

Furthermore, there’s no need to use USB cables to hook your robot up to a computer. Instead, users can opt for a Bluetooth-equipped robot, or one that’s suitable for classrooms and uses 2.4G wireless modules.